Highlands at Dawn

by Aliyah Burke

  The light clicked on and he saw Mal holding part of the lamp in her hand. The rest lay shattered on the floor surrounding the guy who now lay dead with two blades sticking out from his throat.

  “Billy,” she cried, running to him. The part of the lamp she’d been holding fell to the floor.

  He caught her with one arm and held her. “Are you unharmed?”

  “Yes.” She frowned and drew back. “What the…?” Mal glanced at his back. “What happened to you?”

  “Demon.” He wavered on his feet before her strong frame helped anchor him.

  “Lie down.” Her voice was all business.

  “My bag. There’s a small green pouch in it. I need it.”

  She had it there quickly. Pushing up, he fumbled a bit to open it then took a pinch of the herbs contained within.

  “What did you take? Are you allergic to—?”

  “Mal, I’ll be fine.”

  “I know you don’t see what’s on your back but surely you can feel it. You are not fine.”

  “I will be. Lian sent me with stuff.”

  “Oh, well since Lian did.” She hemmed a bit. “Something has broken off in one wound. I’m taking it out. Lie still.”

  “You’re not pushing a hospital or a call to the cops?”

  “And say what to them? We were attacked by demons?”

  Point taken. He angled his head and watched her root through her bag to pull out a smaller black one, which she unzipped. Snapping on some gloves, she returned to where he assumed the object was in him.

  Mal muttered and dragged her bag over. He hissed at the following sting that ripped up through him.

  “Hold still.”

  He did, grateful the herbs he’d taken and placed under his tongue were working in tandem with his power.

  She mumbled as she worked. He was impressed at her gentle touch.

  “There we go.”

  “What is it?”

  “Looks like the tip of a claw.” She held it over his face so he could see.

  “That’s a clean break.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Check the others, there may be more.” If this new demon could break off its tips to leave the poison in them, it wasn’t good.

  More muttering. He didn’t understand it and assumed she spoke Gaelic. “No more,” she announced. “You want me to sew you up or will your power fix you up?”

  “My power?”

  She stood where he could see her expression. Mal removed the gloves from her hands and gave him a disbelieving look. “Whatever you call this smoky thing rising around you. And the monkey, who I swear is watching me. I think we need to move though.”

  The stuff he’d taken caught up to him and drew him under. Billy tried his best to fight it, but he lost. She was right—they had to move. However, he had no choice but to go under and trust Mal would take care of things.

  * * * *

  The scent of the baking scones filled the air and Mal finally felt herself relax. She sat at the table and curved her fingers around the mug of hot tea. Outside a cold wind blew and she watched the grass sway in time with the gusts.

  Billy lay in the lone bedroom, sleeping. It had not been easy getting him out to the car, nor had figuring out what to do with the body of the person in the room. I’m probably wanted for murder now. She shook her head, envisioning her medical career going up in smoke.

  She’d checked on him a few times, but he hadn’t stirred. The wounds on his back had begun closing, so she assumed he was getting better and doing whatever his kind—the Guardians—did to heal themselves.

  “What have I fallen into here?” She turned the mug in her hands, staring at the stonework pattern. “Let me see if I can break this down for myself. A guy who can see something from the belt I wear as a necklace follows me. Then he also sees something from me, which tells him I’m a mate for one of his Guardian folk. That’s until we both touch it at the same time. Then it explodes into a brilliant array of colors and that apparently informs him I’m his. He saves my life from demons…yes, demons.”

  She stared out of the window again and took several deep breaths. “Let’s not forget my shagging his arse in the forest. Then I agree to come up here to the Highlands with him so he can get one of these things that started all of this insanity in my life. Oh, right, and he asked me repeatedly to marry him since I was feeling smug and said that would be the only way I’d go to Oregon with him.”

  Mal rested her head in the palm of one hand and groaned. “Did I get it all?”

  “At least the basics.”

  She jumped, a scream ripping from her throat as she knocked over her chair. Her tea spilled all over the table and she muttered unkind words as she went to the sink for a dishrag. Glaring at the gorgeous man standing in the entrance to the kitchen, she walked to the table and cleaned up her mess. Righting her mug, she then dropped the tea bag back in it before she carried it and the rag back to the sink.

  “I take this to mean you’re feeling better?”

  “Much. Thanks in part to you.”

  She looked at him then away. He still only wore jeans and they were sending her mind down a road she didn’t need to go on right now.

  “Sure.”

  “You don’t sound like you believe me, Mal.”

  “You’re healing on your own. I didn’t need to do anything.”

  “You took that claw out. If that had been left in, I would have died eventually.”

  She made a noncommittal noise and tried to find something to do. More tea. She took the kettle from the stovetop and filled it a second time. “Would you like a cup?”

  “Any coffee?”

  “Sorry, none in the house.”

  “Where are we?” He approached her as she put the kettle on and turned on the burner.

  “Highlands.”

  “Where in the Highlands?” He propped a hip against the counter. “Whose house is this?”

  “Mine.”

  “Yours?”

  “No need to sound so shocked. I am allowed to own a home.”

  “I thought you lived in Glasgow.”

  “I do and I work there. I have this for when I take a vacation. Sometimes I rent it out. The locals keep an eye on it for me.”

  “Where is here?”

  “Fort Augustus.” She drew down another mug for him. “Halfway between Fort William and Inverness. We can do some exploring here. It’s a popular tourist spot.”

  “I don’t know if we’re safe here, Mal,” he said. “If it’s yours. You can be sure they’re finding out everything about you and all you own.”

  “That’s fine.” She wasn’t concerned. “The house isn’t listed under my name. It belongs to a friend. When he died, he left it to me. It is still under his name.”

  He crossed his arms. “Friend?”

  “Yes. I do have some of those.” The kettle began to whistle and she lifted it, turning off the burner. She poured water into two mugs and added the tea after setting the kettle down on a hot pad. Carrying the two to the table, she looked at him. “Are you sitting?”

  He strode closer and she swallowed back her desire for him. It wasn’t natural—or sane. Billy sat and took his tea before adding sugar to it. She did the same, following with some milk.

  “Was he your husband?”

  “My husband? No. I didn’t say he was, did I? I’m sure I said friend.”

  “You said he.”

  “And women can’t have friends who are male?” She stirred the tea.

  “So he wasn’t your husband?”

  She rolled her eyes and sipped her tea. “No. Again, I said friend.” Her timer went off and she rose to remove the scones. “What happens now?”

  Billy grabbed her by the wrist. “We make a plan.” He released her as swiftly as he’d captured her.

  Once the scones were out, she returned to her seat. She could do that. “Okay, what exactly are we planning to do?”

  “Stay alive. See if we can eliminate more
of those New Order nut jobs.”

  “I’m not keen of this killing thing.”

  “You or them.” His statement was blunt and harshly honest.

  “I’m a doctor. I took an oath to save lives, not take them.”

  “Times are changing.”

  “Humph.” She rubbed the nape of her neck—it still hurt. “So what? We get the other item and go somewhere without a lot of people to possibly get injured?”

  “I’d like to find their headquarters over here, if we could.”

  She rose for a plate of scones, needing to eat something. Back at the table, she tore into one and popped some in her mouth. She chewed slowly, weighing what she wanted to say. “So all this claim of wanting to protect me is what…different now, and you want me to go to the place these people hang who want to kill me?”

  “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “Why do you want to find this place? What do you hope to learn?” She wasn’t even going to address how his statement made her feel all mushy inside. This wasn’t the time for romantic dreams and wayward thoughts.

  “Information.”

  She swallowed another bite. “About?”

  “Pretty much any and everything. We’re swinging blind, currently. If we can find information on plans, how they’re thinking about this upcoming battle… Every bit would help.”

  “You know there’s going to be a battle?”

  “We’ve always assumed so and have trained for one. With Cale finding his artifact and mate, the prophecy was started.” He reached for a scone of his own. “They aren’t following the rules. We have to.”

  “Not really fair, is it?”

  “Not at all. But evil has never played by the rules.” He gestured to the item in his hand “These are delicious.”

  She smiled her thanks, glad he enjoyed it. “If you’re known as Astral Guardians, why are you fighting demons? I’ve always equated them with the devil.”

  “Darkness, chaos, fear, torture. This is the world They want. They spawned the demons and more.”

  Great, there were more than just demons. “Got it. They are all around bad. So we find this headquarters and get all we can.”

  “I will. You’ll not put yourself in danger.”

  She snorted a laugh, only to cover it up by coughing. “You’re putting me in danger. I’m just being helpful.”

  “I’m a thief, Mal. I can get in and out, plus my sign will assist. You will be somewhere safe.”

  Interesting he still claims he is one. Not that he was one. “Really think it wise to stash me somewhere and hope I stay put? You could have me in the car where I would be good.”

  He lifted a brow. “Good?”

  She flashed a saucy smile. “I have moments.”

  He sent a look that placed her right back in that forest. “I know.”

  Mal shifted on her chair and silently cursed him. So much damn sex appeal. “We were talking about what we’re going to do.”

  “Very well. How far to the place you got the artifact?”

  “Not very far at all. I just came here, needing to get you in a safe place.”

  “I thank you for that. What about places where there aren’t a lot of people?”

  She canted her head. “This is Scotland. There are plenty of places.”

  “Okay, tell me what’s close here.”

  She tapped her lips then nibbled on her fingertip as she thought. “We’re on the furthest southern tip of Loch Ness. The Caledonian Canal is sixty miles long. Lots of trails in and around the village here. There are castles. The Urquhart Castle juts out to the loch.” She spun her plate in a small circle. “My opinion is they should all be thrown into Uamh Nan Claig-Ionn.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Basically it means ‘cave of the skulls’. It’s Scotland’s deepest pothole.

  He looked intrigued. “Where’s that beauty located?”

  “It’s on the northwest slopes of Meall Ban.”

  “Good to know.” He took another scone and bit into it. “Let’s do some camping.”

  She stilled. “Camping? As in sleeping-in-a-tent, wipe-my-arse-with-a-leaf camping?”

  Billy’s laughter filled the room. “You want hotels?”

  “Yes,” she replied immediately. “Complete with running water and a real roof.”

  “Sorry, I mean tent. They have real roofs. It will be fun. Hiking. Sleeping under the stars.”

  “It does get cold at night, you know.”

  His grin became purely sexual. “Guess we’ll have to snuggle to stay warm.”

  All right, that sounded good. Still, she shook her head. “I’m not a camper. I don’t like it.”

  “How can you not? Didn’t you go camping as a child with your parents?”

  She reached for her drink and spun the spoon around the edge. “Don’t know who they were. I was raised in an orphanage.”

  “Really?” He gave her a soft grin.

  “That makes you smile?”

  He took her hand in his. “I was raised in foster care. In fact, all of us Guardians were.”

  “Truly?”

  “Yes, but I want to talk about you. Do you know anything about your parents?”

  Personally, she’d rather talk about him than her. “No. One was American military—or DoD—and worked over at Holy Loch, the sub base. I don’t even know which parent that was.” She’d long wondered about her family—or at least the two parts that had made her. Did she have siblings? Had they tried to find her?

  “Edmond is a computer genius. If you want, he could see what he can dig up about them.”

  “Who’s Edmond?”

  “He works with us at the vineyard.”

  “Vineyard?”

  “Where we live. It’s a bit confusing. Our mentor, the man who fostered us and has trained a select few of us, also has a winery. Tennesol Winery. He still fosters children, mostly troubled ones.”

  Impressive. “So the Guardians are all foster kids.”

  “Yes, we are,” he said proudly. “I have two brothers and three sisters as fellow Guardians.”

  Split even. Interesting. “All have tattoos?”

  “Yes. I’m the monkey. Cale, my best friend, is the dog. Tiarnán is the tiger. He’s our best warrior.” Billy paused. “I think the best. Anyway, Roz is the horse and Aminta is the ram.”

  “That’s only five total. Who’s the sixth?”

  “Dracen.” A wry smile. “She’s the dragon.”

  “Dragon?”

  “Second best warrior.”

  “Sounds like you have an amazing team.”

  “I hope so.” He continually rubbed her hand. “I really want you to meet them.”

  “Are they coming to Scotland?”

  He chucked her under the chin. “Funny. You’re going to be meeting them in Oregon.”

  “You sound very sure about that.”

  “I am. Positive, actually.”

  “I didn’t say I was going.”

  He released her hand and sat back. “We’ll find a man of the cloth to perform the ceremony.”

  She let it go. Right now, needing to worry about this supposed camping and getting her life—her safe life—back took precedence over him and his deluded thinking. “Can we just get back to this insane notion of camping?”

  “It makes sense.”

  “No, it doesn’t. I don’t do tents.” Her heart was pounding at the thought of sleeping in a tent.

  “How do you hike so much if you don’t like camping?”

  “Two very different things. Hiking is hiking, after which I can go home to my place with a real roof and take a hot shower. Hard to do that without running water. Then I can go lie in my bed. Not sleep on a hard ground.”

  He grinned. “It’ll be great.” He grabbed up one final scone and left the kitchen.

  She didn’t have his optimistic outlook on the whole situation.

  Chapter Five

  Billy overlooked the loch, muttered curses
from Mal floating to his ears. She was not happy. He held his cup of coffee they’d picked up along the way. Turning his back to the loch, he stared at the woman with him. The one picked for him by the cosmos.

  She’d stopped cussing for the moment and stood there, glancing around. The wind blew through her hair, lifting it gently around her shoulders. She pushed her Tommy Hilfiger shades up on her nose as she sought out something. Her green windbreaker jacket didn’t hide her figure and he ogled her unabashedly. Black jeans showed off her firm bubble butt.

  She fitted in here. This type of scenery and surroundings were her. I still don’t understand why she doesn’t enjoy camping.

  The tent was to her left and he hid his laughter when she peered at it and scowled. He had every confidence she would enjoy the night. He had plans to ensure that.

  “Do you think they know we picked up the other one?” she questioned, while strolling toward him.

  “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I’m sure they are tracking us. Expect attacks to be coming.”

  “Great.” She placed her hands in her back pockets and rocked on the soles of her hiking boots. The move thrust her breasts forward. “So how do I identify potential threats? You know demons are somewhat easy—they look like they do. But the members of The New Order?”

  He was proud she was asking how to stay safe. “First off, demons. They can appear as human. You’ll be able to smell them—burnt flesh and sulfur. It’s because of the hellsfire they were born from.”

  Her face contorted into a mask of disgust. “Awesome, cause those two things smell so spectacular.”

  “It’s recognizable.”

  “Truth.”

  “They have a distinctive sound when they fly. They have holes and tears in their wings so you can hear them. It’s hard to pick up on the sound, but you can learn.” He gave a demonstration of the sound.

  “Do they only attack from the air?”

  “No. Everywhere.”

  She blinked at him, disbelief etched into her expression. “I’m sorry, anywhere? Did you just tell me they come from anywhere? And you’re putting me on the ground to sleep? Are you crazy? You know what, never mind. I’m sleeping in the car.”